Twitter Users React to Boston Marathon Bomber Sentencing

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon Bomber was sentenced to death by the jury, today and social media site, Twitter erupt. The 21-year-old, along with his older brother Tamerlan, 26, set off the bombs at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Tsaernev was first arrested on April 19 following a large manhunt. The brothers’ two homemade bombs killed 3 people and injured more than 240. Seventeen people lost at least one leg in the blast and of the injured, many suffered life-altering wounds. The bombs were pressure cookers loaded with nails, BBs and gunpowder.

He was convicted on 30 charges, 17 of which carry the death penalty. He was also convicted of a conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. Tsaernev’s attorney, Judy Clarke, is a known opponent of the death penalty and said that she will appeal the verdict. She had been trying to convince the jurors that Tsaernev, who had been 19 at the time, had been influenced by his older brother. The defense also presented testimony from his former classmates, friends and teachers from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth stating that Tsaernev had a gentle nature and was a friendly person.

The 12 member jury, though, was unable to understand why he carried out the Boston Marathon bombings. They rejected the argument about the older brother’s influence and said that Tsaernev had shown no remorse for his actions.

Post 9/11, this was the first death sentence handed out to a terrorist by a federal jury. The trial lasted 59 court days and the jury took 14 hours to reach their decision. The jury had to be unanimous in their decision for the death penalty and were asked to use their internal moral compass. Had even a single jury member not agreed, Tsaernev would have received a life in prison sentence.

Twitter, meanwhile, is ripe with suggestions for what should or should not be done to the Bostom Marathon bomber. Right On, Patriots felt that Tsaernev had shown no remorse and the sentence was apt.

The sentence will be formally imposed at a later date by U.S. Federal District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. While Tsaernev did not take the stand at his trial, he would be allowed to speak at a hearing where the Boston Marathon bombing victims will also be present. They too would get a chance to address the court.

Sources:

Twitter

The New York Times: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Gets Death Penalty in Boston Marathon Bombing